(fade in dream sequence) .. You may recall these guys:
The rod-end plus turnbuckle arrangement that I will attempt to use to create an adjustable pullarm (dog bone) setup. This will allow for some ride-height adjustment at the rear, but really, first off, I want to solve the GSXR shock spring fouling the swingarm issue. The only real way to do that is to lose some ride height by having a pullarm length a little longer than the R/O HRC one.
What? I hear you cry! Lose ride height at the rear ... don't we all want loads of that on an NC30? Well, yes, true, but .... the GSXR shock I have is 315mm. The HRC manual says a max of 313mm using (I assume) the HRC linkage. So, losing a little rear end height from the 315mm shock should put me in HRC territory quite nicely.
The goal is to recreate this (the HRC pullarm) using the turnbuckles, from this:
To (erm) sort of this:
The copper thing is a quick just-for-quick-fitment purposes spacer to hold the top rod-ends apart at correct width. Without a spacer, the rod-ends would just slide along the mounting bolt - we want them held in place. It is the same size as this guy minus the 14mm each side for the rod end:
My first thoughts are it will be a squeeze and may not actually fit. There is not a lot of space between some things down here. Like this for example - the nut securing the shock to the linkage knuckle has stuff-all clearance to the existing pull arm:
Also, on the other side there is not much cleanance to the chain. We'll we how we go I guess.
Amazing. It fits:
I did have to find a new longer bolt (with a flatter top) to allow me to test-fit the knuckle-side rod-ends. There is not much clearance to the chain. I should be able to find a better one for the real thing:
After torquing it all up it was time to put theory in action. The turnbuckles are M10x1.5mm so, one whole turn will be 2 x 1.5mm = 3mm. That is, one turn of the turnbuckle rod will change the length of the pull arm by 3mm.
I set the initial length to be the same as the HRC pull arm, and guess what ... a 3mm adjustment to lengthen it has the shock spring off the swingarm ('scuse the crap photo):
... and the angels sang.
As a side note here, one end of the turnbuckle has a right-hand thread rod and and the other has a left-hand thread rod end. So, turning the turnbuckle tube means both rodends either come closer in or move further out. Got it?
Now ... just make sure that both like-threaded rodends are at the same end of each rod when you install them - otherwise, you'll be turning one tunbuckle clockwise to lengthen it, and the other anti-clockwise to do same. Not good.
But anyways, we're looking good here for now. I need to get a proper spacer for the upper rodends, and find a suitable new bolt for the lower (linkage knuckle) end and we'll be good to go. In case you were wondering, the rodends are "ultra high performance" items are are designed to take a beating in racing applications.
Nice one, but park that for now and move on .. other fish to fry ...